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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

The electricity went off earlier today - while I was in the middle of writing an email. Well, at first it didn't cut off completely, but went on low voltage for some time - low enough to black out my monitor and keyboard! :( I didn't realize it had to do with the voltage - I thought the keyboard was dead!!! I was so sure it was the keyboard, and even told hubby; "we have to buy a new one"! LOL! It's good he is calmer and not a "stress-mouse" like me when things don't work! Even the washing machine stopped working. Silly I - what do I know about electricity?! While waiting for the voltage to be stabilized, I decided to cut some 3" strips from the oldest fabric I have. Even if the voltage was low, the iron did work properly so I was able to iron the fabrics before cutting. The strips look like a mess with all sorts of colors - don't they? They do, because on this project I'm not going to take matching colors into consideration, but use what I have. Most of the fabrics I'm going to use, I got from my friend Ragna in Norway a few years ago. Thanks Ragna! :) While I mopped the porch this morning I decided the swing needs a quilt - so that is what it is going to be! From the 3" strips I'm going to cut them into 3" squares.

Last year I received "Marvellous Machine-Made Quilts" from my penfriend in New Zealand - thanks Jocelyn! :) The magazine has three quilts I would love to make, and this log cabin block is for one of them. I was struck by the colors; blue and yellow. Have I mentioned earlier blue is my favorite color? On this block I have left to do the last four strips around the block, because it needs a little bit of thinking. To each strip I'm going to add a light yellow and dark yellow square, so when completed it looks like a golden star in between the blue log cabin blocks. Then it's about stashing again... I have the light yellow fabric, but not the darker value that is needed! I've had a look at some of my favorite web shops, but so far I haven't succeeded. And YES - I have gone through all my stash - nothing suitable!!! :( Making these blocks goes quite fast. 2,5" / 6,50cm strips are required and the finished block size is 18" / 46cm square. I made 4 blocks last year... And during this weekend I made another 14 - not bad! I haven't figured out how many blocks I need for one sofa though, but making it for two sofas I don't think I have to be in a hurry measuring! It'll take time to finish two big quilts, and this is a project I want to do in between other projects. I still have enough fabric for more blocks, but I know it won't be enough for two quilts.

Friday, April 24, 2009

After a short break at Tamarind Falls Reservoir, we felt quite fit and decided to continue to Mare Longue Reservoir. The route is quite scenic; agricultural land with workers in the fields; picking cucumbers and fertilizing. At one farm we saw lot of ducks, goats and a stag.

After passing a few houses, the farm and vegetable fields, we went into the forest. It had been raining heavily in the night/morning in this area so part of the road was flooded with muddy water. At one place I missed the side of the road and went into the water with both feet - soaked!!! Fortunate the water wasn't cold so I didn't get to freeze on my feet.

We reached Mare Longue Reservoir after approx 1 hour 30 min walk uphill. Look at the muddy road! We walked it all the way to the end, where it is a very nice campsite with pine trees. Very idyllic! I'm not sure I had dared camping there... Thinking of wild boars.....

We had our picnic at a nice place here at the lake. It was so quiet - not any disturbing sounds or pollution from vehicles etc. The only sounds we heard were from the wind and the birds - so relaxing!

It took us less time walking it down to the bus stand at the tiny village Henrietta. I felt quite tired on our way back in the bus, but after a good hot shower and some food I just felt great! Not that I feel for doing the same walk today though! :) I need a couple of days rest before doing another long walk....

It was a wonderful day - being out in the nature after such a long time! Solitude!The blog owner - carrying a bag with picked guavas. Sugarcane fields behind me.

We had a wonderful day out yesterday.We used to do 5-6 hours walks before the construction of our house started, but for the last three years we have been more busy with the house & other things. Rather lazy. It's not that we don't walk... We don't have a car, which means we walk to the supermarkets for grocery shopping etc - about 30-45 minutes walk from where we're living. I think Mauritians are known for not walking and when they hear about our walks they just shake their head and don't really believe it is possible! :) There is another reason for not walking, especially for me; the hot & humid weather during the summer months. I don't take that weather condition very well, so I prefer staying at home. We're into the beginning of "winter" now, and it has cooled down a bit. We decided in the early morning to go to Tamarind Falls, which is less than 30 minutes by bus. We thought we'd get something to eat at the nearest bus stand, but at 08:30 in the morning only one shop was open and it didn't have bread or burgers. We had to walk it down to the center, where we got what we needed for a day out.

The seven waterfalls at Tamarind Falls were gorgeous! We have been to the falls many times, but never seen it like this! From the viewpoint to the falls there is another breathtaking view to the west coast. We continued further along the inside road to Tamarind Falls Reservoir. On the way we picked yellow guavas. There are many species of guavas, so I'm not sure which species grow here.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

It's true what I say; stash diet is impossible - unless you have tons of willpower, which I don't have! I received these two fabrics and the cross-stitch patterns today. YIPPEE!!! The fabric to the left was on sale at US$ 4 per yard, while the other one (batik) was normal price. I love batiks! I'm dreaming of making a batik quilt! Don't ask me when I'll start making it! The same question appears every time I want to start a new project; do I have matching fabrics??? And if I have, do I have enough??? I consider making a quilt for the swing too... The question is when! Hubby is near to pass out every time he hears the word "new project" or "fabric"!!! Perhaps I had too if he had been into something as passionate as crafting... :))

Yes, I did buy some cross-stitch patterns! After joining NNC I have been introduced to some very creative and talented cross-stitchers, who have inspired me to take up cross-stitching again - after approx 20 years or even more. I bought the patterns from the US, but didn't buy floss or fabric - hopefully I'll get it here.

I have signed up for a card-exchange! HELP!!! :) I have never made a card in my life, except those odd Father's & Mother's Day cards we made at school. After I read the rules I got an idea how to make the card, and today I began working on it. Phew! That's not easy for a novice like me! I can't go into details before my exchange partner has received the card. The card & I haven't been friends today! :( I'm starting the 4th attempt tonight - hopefully it turns out OK. It's not easy though! It's not always easy putting the pictured project into practise - is it?!

I thought the photo at my previous post - the pie tablecloth - doesn't look very good, so here are two closeups of the pies. The sewing is not as bulky as you can see on the first photo! The tablecloth is hanging over the sewing machine, that's why it looks bulky. The pies look yummy - don't they?!

Sunday, April 19, 2009

I've been in the "finishing quilts" mood lately! After finishing the "Roosters" I decided to do the tablecloth too. As you may remember I started this project back in February. At that time I couldn't decide which fabrics to use for inner- and outer border, sashing and binding. Since the background fabric for the pies and cakes are light blue I chose blue roses fabric for the sashing and binding (sorry - it's not that visible on the photo), darker blue for the outer border and "cherries" for the inner border to make some contrast to the blue. For the quilting I used Madeira variegated blue thread and quilted in the ditch.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Another UFO is done! I started working on it last year, but never got around to finish it because I didn't have enough batting. I don't really like having too many UFO's - it becomes a bit overwhelming - I think... I can't really believe it when I hear some quilters have about 15-20 UFO's!!! I believe I had lost courage and hadn't known how to attack that many UFO's!

The wall quilt was supposed to be "Ruffled Feathers" (Grace Pullen). Sadly I didn't get all the fabrics that were meant for the quilt. I had to substitute six of the nine fabrics with fabrics from "Rise'n Shine". It doesn't really matter; it turned out to be my own twist on it. :) The wall quilt measures 67" square (170 x 170 cm). It took me two days quilting it, mainly stitched in the ditch.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Yesterday I went to a craft shop where I bought some Madeira variegated quilting threads and some skeins DMC embroidery thread. I can't take a photo of the skeins I bought, as it's going to be a surprise for my "card-exchange" partner. Yes, I have signed up for a "card-exchange", which one of the craft groups - where I'm a member - arranges. I have never made a card in my life, except those Mother's and Father's Day cards when I went to school - ages ago! :) No doubt it'll be a challenge for me!

Well, I was not going to write about the "card-exchange". After the craft shop I headed to a bookshop, where I got a few needed things for card-making as well as I had a look at the magazine section. Except for the latest edition of Australian Women's Weekly I ended up with two cross-stitch magazines! As I have mentioned earlier in my blog, I used to do cross-stitching many years ago and now I consider taking it up again. Some of the craft group members are making such beautiful cross-stitching works, which has inspired me to take up cross-stitching again. A new passion?

Saturday, April 4, 2009

I'm never alone in the garden. These two, our dogs; Chico and Sasha are always there. Most of the time they play hide and seek (it seems) with the two neighbor dogs, but when they are tired it feels so good being near "mama" for a hug & pet! :-) It doesn't matter they sit down in the newly planted flower bed, or even dig for something - does it?! I love them to pieces, and the love is easily returned - with a wet nose as a kiss! :-)

The last couple of days I've been working in the garden; weeding, which was long overdue. The hot and humid climate at this time of the year makes everything grow with record speed, and weeds are no exception. I don't mind weeding, as long as it doesn't turn out being a full time job! I love our garden, and I think it is kind of recreation and I'm often lost in my own world being there. It's amazing to see how fast it grows here, compared to Norway where everything is so concentrated for a few months only. I didn't believe hubby when he told me; "put a branch in the soil and it'll grow" - but it is true! We have done that with quite some branches, and most of them are small trees now.

I love all kind of plants, and I also have a "selection" of potted plants on the porch.

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About Me

I'm a Norwegian woman who settled in the tropical island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean in 2003. I'm a homemaker and like to spend my time on crafts. I was hit by the quilting bug after I settled here and it is still my favorite pastime.